What the hell is a out bound firewall???

[what..the?]

I have just installed the same McAfee anti virus etc on 2 pc's the first install went well without any problems the second was a slight problem and even though the install information said it would remove old McAfee software in the upgrade, it didn't and while I had up and running new software the old was saying my pc was unprotected and I needed to renew so I found the old software under 'add/remove programmes' and took the old software off. The new software is all good and working well, but when I go into the security centre which is the main hub which tells me the current status of my protection it warns me I am not fully protected because my 'out bound firewall' was disabled. Whilest it says my standard firewall was up and running it seem to state the out bound shouldn't be disabled, it gives me no information on how to fix this and I cannot find contact details for McAfee to ask them. I does give you the ability to click 'ignore' and the problem just goes away and it doesnt highlight that it is an issue.

The other pc I installed the software on strangely doesn't even mention an 'out bound firewall' but just that 'firewall is enabled' I have not been warned about anything??

As both pc's have their firewalls enabled is that enough, what is the 'outbound firewall' and do I need it?

[ChuckFickens]

there are two different sorts of firewall.

in bound firewalls stop things on the internet making in coming connections to your computer when they shouldn't

Out bound firewalls stop things on your computer making outgoing connections to the internet when they shouldn't.

For best protection the firewall you are running should operate on both in bound and out bound traffic. the standard windows XP firewall is an inbound only firewall.

By the sounds of it the computer with the error is running only the standard windows firewall and therefore offering you only in bound protection.

Does the version of Mcafee you have installed actually include a firewall ? if it doesn't then download and install a decent 3rd party firewall like zone alarm free

http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company /products/znalm/freeDownload_b.jsp

if the Mcafee software you have installed does include a firewall then you need to disable the standard windows firewall and enable the McAfee one. not sure how to enable it exactly though as I don't use McAfee

Also does the second machine without the error have some other sort of firewall already installed on it?

[what..the?]

Thanks for your answers ChuckFickens

Well I have xp and I don't know if the windows firewall is running, I didnt know there was such a thing as a windows firewall until yesterday when I read that you shouldn't have two firewalls running at the same time like windows and McAfee.

With regards the Mcfee yes the software comes with a firewall it does say it protects me against inbound and outbound intrusions. But it is this extra highlighted 'outbound disabled' bullet point that confused me, but I would have thought if it also says 'firewall enabled' (which when clicked in says in and out bound) that should cover me?

How do I check if the windows firewall is on too? The pcs weren't setup by me so I wouldnt know if they are on or off??

Annoyingly the pc in question is not mine but someone elses and they work solid on theirs all day so it's not easy to kick him off to have a look.

Thanks for your help

[ChuckFickens]

to check the state of the windows firewall goto the control panel and double click on windows firewall and it should tell you there the current state of the windows firewall.

[what..the?]

Thanks for that it seems that the windows firewall is on lol is has selected:

Firewall 'ON' recommended

as apposed on 'OFF' not recommended as this is a risk it states.

But if I am running the firewall through the Mcfee I have just bought shouldn't I just be running that firewall and not the windows esp if windows is just inbound only and the McAfee states it's in and out?

Maybe I should click 'off' on my pc and just use the McAfee firewall and when the firewall confusion is sorted on the other pc I will do the same??

What is the problem in running two firewalls at the same time does it confuse the pc and slow it down do you know? Thanks for the help

[rojash]

"Maybe I should click 'off' on my pc and just use the McAfee firewall"
Absolutely.